When Do Passkeys Expire?
Learn when passkeys expire, how they work, and their security implications. Get a complete overview of passkey expiration and best practices for managing them.
When Do Passkeys Expire?#
Passkeys generally do not expire, but the accounts that they might be tied to could be impacted by factors like account inactivity, security policies, and device changes. Most systems are designed to keep passkeys valid forever.
- Passkeys typically do not expire.
- Developers can set custom expiration policies for user accounts (that passkeys are tied to).
- Users should be aware that inactivity or device changes could require re-authentication.
Default Behavior of Passkeys#
- No Fixed Expiration: By default, passkeys do not come with an expiration date. They remain valid as long as the associated public-private key pair is intact and the relying party (the service or app) does not revoke the passkey or the user deletes the passkey locally.
- Dependence on User Activity: The continued validity of a passkey often depends on user activity. If a user is inactive for a long period, the system may require re-authentication as a security measure.
Discuss passkeys news and questions in r/passkey.
Factors That Can Invalidate Passkeys#
- Device Changes: If a user switches devices or resets their device, they may need to set up a new passkey for the new device.
- Security Updates: Significant updates to the security infrastructure of a platform might lead to passkey invalidation. In such cases, users may be prompted to create a new passkey. However, this is considered very bad practice as the UX is significantly impacted.
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